


Meet the Titans

by firegrilled



Series: Shingeki no MCU [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friends to Lovers, Gift Fic, Holiday Fic Exchange, Humor, M/M, Marvel 616/MCU Crossover, Superhero!Marco, kaa-05n2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-18 07:45:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13095591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firegrilled/pseuds/firegrilled
Summary: Marco has two problems: the fact he has super powers and an annoyingly cute friend named Jean Kirschtein. While Marco years to be more than friends with Jean, his secret powers and troublesome past prevent him from even entertaining the thought. Jean's obsession with trying to find super heroes in their tiny town also doesn't help his situation. When his past finally catches up to him Marco must either choose to shine and leave it all behind or fall back into the clutches of something more nefarious.aka that Shingeki no Kyojin/Marvel crossover that kaa05n2 requested for the Jeanmarco Gift Exchange





	Meet the Titans

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kaa05n2](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaa05n2/gifts).



“Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: teen wanders into an abandoned power plant and stumbles into a vat of radioactive chemicals,” Jean stated as he spread some photographs in front of him. “Boom, superpowers.”

Marco frowned, shaking his head. “I think he’d die from radiation poisoning first. Besides, there aren’t any nuclear power plants near here. And that certainly doesn’t explain _these_.”

“Impressive, aren’t they?” Jean asked as a smug grin formed on his face. He reached into his backpack for more photos, blindly searching while he waited for his best friend’s approval. “I told you we got supers here in Jinae.”

Marco set his steaming cup of coffee down, picking up the photos Jean splayed across the table only a few moments earlier. He picked up a particularly dark one, squinting to try and make out some details.

“What are these?” Marco replied, unable to make out any figures in the picture.

In a swift motion, Jean plucked the photo from Marco’s finger and eyed it over. He slammed it down and started pointing to various, black blobs.

“This is the stop sign from intersection by Stohess street ripped up from the ground and bent around a lamppost two blocks down. The very same block where some robbers were stopped by that Wolverine wannabe. That crazy bastard attacked them with it!”

Taking another peek, Marco quirked an eyebrow. “I think that’s a bush.”

“What, no? That’s- oh wait, wrong photo… It’s in here somewhere,” Jean bent down into his backpack, throwing all his attention to finding the photo.

While Jean fumbled through his belongings, Marco leaned over to the table and quickly surveyed each photo. Only one stuck out to him and he skillfully swiped it from the group before Jean returned with a new set of photos.

Jean flipped through his pictures for a few seconds until his cocky grin fell into a scowl.

“We don’t have superheroes here in Jinae, Jean,” Marco shook his head, folding the picture he pilfered under the table. Quietly, he pocketed it. “We’re just a college town in the middle of nowhere Kansas.”

“I know I had it. I had one that actually had the guy in it! And not just him, it had his friends too. Plant guy and Squirrel Girl,” Jean grumbled, continuing to move through his pictures. “I swear if Arlert or Braus nicked my picture.”

“I doubt they would’ve taken it. You’re the only journalism major dead set on capturing that sort of thing. Armin is more of a National Geographic kinda guy and I’m pretty sure Sasha runs a food blog. Also plant guy and Squirrel Girl?”

“Touché,” Jean agreed, letting out a sigh. He gathered all the pictures in front of him, neatly packing them into his portfolio. “I swear I’m going to prove we got _someone_ out here.”

“For all your photography skills I’m sure you could find better luck in New York City or somewhere else practically crawling with heroes,” Marco suggested, his heart tightening at the idea. His smile faltered when saying those words.

“No,” Jean rejected the thought, returning the smile to Marco’s face. “I know those names are a work in progress but plant guy, Wolverine wannabe, and Squirrel girl aren’t too far off. I didn’t transfer to Jinae University for the above average journalism program. There’s enough weird happenings out here that I know something’s here and I plan to catch it. Peter Parker didn’t become famous for stellar pictures of other superheroes; he was the first to get Spiderman. I plan to be the first to get this group.”

Seeing Jean’s scowl fade into a confident smile sent chills down Marco’s spine. As much as he tried to fight the urge, he reached out and placed a hand over Jean’s.

“I’m sure if someone will find them, it’s you,” Marco spoke, before removing his hand.

“Well,” Jean’s eyes widened briefly and his voice cracked when he spoke, “I mean, yeah. Thanks for your support, Bodt. I know everyone likes supers but it’s hard to find someone who actually wants to find the new ones. Or at least supports me. You’re awesome.”

Marco nodded, standing up and slipping on his jacket. He tossed his backpack behind him and grabbed his backpack, “Well as your physics TA I’m compelled to support my students. I’m beginning to think our little one on one sessions are becoming an excuse for you to just showboat your photographs instead of actually learning.”

Jean’s face fell flat at the accusation. “What? No! I’m totally learning about atoms and shit. My grade has gone up like hundred and four percent since I started coming to office hours.”

Marco laughed out loud upon hearing that good news. “At least there’s some improvement. I wish you’d put as much time into your studies as you do into trying to find heroes. There’s no way you’d ever fail a test again. Or perhaps you have an ulterior motive for coming every week to gush about heroes?”

Watching Jean’s confident façade unravel under Marco’s gentle teasing never grew old for the TA. Jean tried to reply but only sputters escaped the poor boy’s throat. Marco walked over to the door to his lab and gestured behind him.

“Lab’s closed.”

\---

“I’m so screwed,” Marco groaned aloud, dropping his backpack at the entrance to his house. He closed the distance between himself and the couch, falling on it with all the grace Sasha showed a bag of potato chips.

“Not with that attitude,” Eren retorted from a nearby sofa, his eyes trained on the videogame in front of him. “Kirschtein again?”

“Yes I was with Jean but not that,” Marco sighed.

“Sure. What’s the point of being a TA if you can’t fuck one of your students once in a while,” Reiner asked, emerging from the kitchen with a glass of water.

“Because ethics,” Marco explained, his blush deepening. “And I can’t and God I messed up.”

Hearing those words, Eren paused his game and turned towards his roommate. “Ooh, what’d you do? Did you finally tell him to fuck off on his witch hunt?” 

Marco deadpanned at those words. “As if. I might’ve kinda… accidentally… put my hand on his…”

Eren and Reiner exchanged dull stares, both shaking their heads.

“So, did the sparks fly?” Eren asked, his teasing grin returning.

Marco’s freckles faded behind his embarrassment. “Not literally. He just kind of stopped speaking and I left.”

Reiner rolled his eyes, leaning on the couch so he could face his hopeless roommate.

“You know there’s nothing against dating people you know?” Reiner informed him. “Ymir has been doing it pretty successfully since we got here.”

“We all know she doesn’t count,” Eren disagreed. “She can control her powers really easy. Twinkle toes here would have a worse time.”

“ _Eren_ -“ Marco warned

“Just calling it how it is, light-bright.”

“Whatever you say, Wolverine wannabe,” Marco insulted him back, wiping the smirk off Eren’s face.

“Oh he better not still be calling me that,” Eren complained.

Digging into his pocket, Marco retrieved the photo he stole from Jean. He opened it and stuck his arm out at Eren. “You’re getting sloppy. At least he didn’t call you plant guy or Squirrel Girl.”

Eren snagged the photograph and squinted at it. The picture clearly showed a shadowy figure wielding a stop sign in one hand while a man enveloped by vines and cloaked figure fought by him.

“Oh that could be anyone! And Squirrel Girl?” Eren denied, throwing the picture back onto Marco’s stomach.

Reiner peered down on the picture and smiled. “He probably heard Annie chippering. She really likes that form but I think the real Squirrel Girl would have something to say about it. Poor Bertl, he deserves a better name.”

“What about Wolverine wannabe?! I could kick his ass,” Eren huffed, crossing his chest.

Reiner snorted while Marco gave Eren his best skeptical look. “Not the point. You’re getting sloppy. Either stop being a hero or be stealthier about it. We’re supposed to blend in unless you want _them_ to find us.”

The other boys quieted down upon hearing those words. Eren opened his mouth a few times but no words came out. Ultimately he returned back to his game, ignoring the other two boys. He pulled on some over the ear headphones to drown out the world.

“Low blow, Marco,” Reiner said, taking a sip from his glass.

“Not trying to be mean, just reminding him. We’ve only survived this long by being anonymous. None of us want to go back,” Marco explained, wiggling around the couch until he faced the television. He watched Eren mindlessly play Call of Duty.

“Well don’t let it stop you from living a little. At least he’s trying to express himself and not be limited by his abilities. If you keep repressing yourself you’re going to burnout sooner or later,” Reiner frowned, earning a glare from Marco. “I mean figuratively. We all need outlets and you’re the only one who hasn’t tried the hero gig or tried to open up to someone else. And tutoring sessions with hero-finding boy doesn’t count unless you get in his pants!”

“Why doesn’t that count?”

“Because both of you are so blind it’s ridiculous,” Reiner shook his head, walking towards the stairs.

“What does that even mean?”

Reiner shrugged and grinned, “’Means you’re not the brightest bulb in the shed.”

Marco threw a pillow at Reiner, who sprinted up the stairs.

“That’s not even the right expression!”

\---

Leaning back in his office chair, Jean stared at the ceiling while he pressed a phone between his ear and shoulder. He occasionally grunted to let his mom know that he was still there and listening to her work place drama.

“And then he jumped out the elevator into the lobby. That’s over 23 stories! If not for that shield he would’ve splattered all across the floor,” Mrs. Kirschtein recounted, her voice filled with awe. “But I knew he hadn’t betrayed us. It’s just a bitter pill to swallow that Hydra infiltrated us.”

“That’s what happens when you hire German scientists employed by Hydra after the war, mom,” Jean shook his head, pushing his feet against the ground and lifting the chair onto its back two legs. “But that happened over a year ago. Everyone knows about that incident. How about anything new?”

A giggle from the other line brought a smile to Jean’s face, “You know I can only tell you declassified stories, honey.”

“But moooom…” Jean complained, still smiling widely. These calls with his mom were definitely a highlight of the week.

“No exceptions, Jeanbo,” Mrs. Kirschtein gently chided her son. “But how about you? You haven’t told me much about your life besides all these so-called sightings.”

“Oi, those are real!” Jean furrowed his brow. He shifted his feet so the chair fell back onto all four legs. “I post all the good stuff to my blog. I got a lot of inquisitive followers. Hell, just last week someone asked all about the ones I’ve seen. It’s getting traction.”

“Whatever you say, honey. I just wish you’d move somewhere where you can actually pursue journalism.”

“Mom, the college here is great. And besides, the only better place is New York and that place is a lot more dangerous than Jinae. I thought you of all would’ve been happy I went to a small college town,” Jean said.

“I know, I know. Just… stay safe,” his mom trailed off for a moment. Jean almost pressed the end call button when her voice came back in full force. “Oh, I forgot to ask. Your dad and I have been wondering, did you finally find someone you want to bring home? You know we’re only getting older and-”

“ _Bye mom!_ ” Jean pressed the button and pocketed his phone, groaning loudly at the last question. At least his parents still had an active interest in one part of his life.

He glanced at his desk, looking over the photos he took the night before. Where did that other photo go? While he didn’t have the print any more, he still had the digital file backed up on his computer and hard drive. Finally succumbing to his curiosity, Jean jumped to his feet and walked down into the common area of his house.

On the couch Sasha and Connie were playing their Nintendo 3DS’s while Armin sat at their dining room table reading through an especially thick book.

“The prodigal son returns,” Armin greeted, his eyes never straying from his book. “Any luck last night?”

Jean shuffled over to the table, pulling a chair out and collapsing into it. “I saw three of them last night, but none tonight. I came back after tutoring and updated my blog.”

From the couch, Sasha’s head peered over and shouted, “Still not as popular as my blog!”

“Shut up! I got at least 30 followers,” Jean snapped back, blushing as Sasha pressed one of his many buttons. “Can’t compete with that food porn you capture.”

“Everyone can appreciate a good dish,” Connie agreed with Jean.

“How did your tutoring session go? Did you finally talk to Marco?” Armin asked, making eye contact with Jean.

Jean opened his mouth to reply but paused for a moment before beginning. “We talked about the supers and he might’ve touched my hand.”

A loud groan from the couch quickly earned Jean’s ire.

“You were supposed to ask him on a date, dingle berry,” Connie snapped his 3DS shut. “Did you at least grab his hand back?”

“What? N-no. It was all so sudden!” Jean blushed, averting his gaze.

An undignified snort from Sasha instantly killed Jean’s embarrassment. Sasha chimed in, “You’re so adorable. Gushing about holding hands. It’s been months, Jean. You’re asking him out tomorrow night at the party or I will for ya.”

“If you _dare_ tell him about my crush I’ll personally toss all the snacks out of this house,” Jean threatened, earning a sly grin from Sasha. “Including your personal stash in laundry room, study, and the bathroom.”

“How did you find all of those?” Sasha narrowed her eyes at him.

“You’re not as clever as you think,” Jean shrugged, “But how do I know he’ll even be here tomorrow? He’s not really that social.”

Armin closed his book, creating a puff of air that blew his hair upwards. He moved it aside and shifteded to give Jean his full attention.

“I leveraged one of my social contacts. Marco will be there,” Armin assured him.

Jean frowned, knowing what that implied. “Jaeger?”

“Eren, yes.”

“And when will you finally ask him out? I’m not the only one staring from afar.”

Armin’s sly grin faltered as he shrugged. “Perhaps tomorrow, perhaps yesterday. Who knows? Now if you excuse me, I have a term paper that needs to be written. Night.”

Jean squinted at Armin, easily noticing the blush creeping up his pale neck.

“Bullshit, you finished that paper a month ago. And what you said doesn’t make sense,” Jean accused his roommate.

Armin merely shrugged once more as he climbed the stairs to his room.

“Maybe, but at least I can talk to my crush outside tutoring sessions.”

Jean slammed a hand on the table, causing the silverware and papers to jump.

“Low blow, Arlert!”

Some snickering from the couch drew Jean’s attention in that direction.

“I’m sure that’s what you want, Jean,” Connie quipped.

“Can it, Springer.”

\---

“How did I let you talk me into this?” Marco shook his head, swirling the beer in his red plastic cup. He sat on the steps to the party his friends had coerced him into going. Sitting beside him with an equally full cup of beer, Eren grinned widely.

Eren softly punched Marco in the shoulder, replying with slurred words, “”Cause you need to cut loose, Marco… And you haven’t left the house in weeks. So chill and have fun.”

Marco hummed in agreement, taking a sip of his drink. His face twisted from the bitter taste, earning a roar of laughter from Eren. “How can you stand to drink this stuff?”

“It’s an acquired taste,” Eren bragged, emphasizing his point with a big gulp.

Shuddering at the demonstration, Marco set his cup down. “I’m sure it is.”

An unexpected hand on the shoulder startled Marco. He twisted back in a defensive gesture and almost knocked an unsuspecting Jean onto his ass.

“Whoa, there,” Jean raised his hands, both occupied by cans.

“Oh, Jean, I’m sorry,” Marco’s frightened expression was replaced by his usual calm demeanor. “Fancy seeing you here.”

Jean regained his collected but cocky attitude once more. He wore the crooked smile that made Marco’s heart flutter.

“Well I do live here,” Jean rolled his eyes. He bent over and offered one of the cans to Marco. “Want something a bit sweeter?”

Eyeing the can with suspicion, Marco cautiously took the can and cracked it open. He sniffed it and wrinkled his nose, a sickly sweet apple smell briefly overwhelming him. “What is this?”

“Hard cider. It’s a bit more tolerable than beer for those who don’t drink. I figured you’d like sweet. A matching drink for your personality,” Jean shrugged, punctuating the statement with a smile.

Marco almost choked on the alcohol as he attempted to drink it, but thankfully Eren provided the necessary distraction.

Eren spat out a mouthful of beer, sputtering from laughter.

“Did you really just say that?”

With a look of disgust Jean faced Eren.

“What? He doesn’t like beer,” Jean replied, squinting at Eren. Jean swallowed his temptation to deck Eren for ruining his plan, but he already owed him one for at least getting Marco to the party.

“Yeah, sure,” Eren said, using his sleeve to clean his face. “I hear you caught some interesting things on camera yesterday. A bush and a stop sign I think.”

Jean momentarily smiled until the end of that statement. So much for being amiable.

“And a Wolverine wannabe and his two pals. Crazy bastard used the stop sign to give those two thieves concussions.”

Eren tightened his grip around his cup, cracking it from the pressure but not crushing it.

“You sure? Maybe they just ran into the stop sign like idiots,” Eren suggested, his voice prickly.

“Ran into the same stop sign, two blocks away from where said stop sign was uprooted? Yeah, no. Even you’re not that dense,” Jean rolled his eyes.

Marco watched with amusement as the other two boys glared at each other. He quietly sipped on the drink, a bit surprised he really liked the taste.

“Whatever you say, Kirschtein,” Eren sighed, pushing himself to his feet. He stumbled into a nearby pillar. “If you need me, I’m going to actually talk to Armin and do what you should’ve done months ago.”

Jean glared at him. “Eat a dick.”

Eren stuck up his cup as he wobbled back inside. “That’s the goal.”

Jean ignored that quip and returned his attention to his goal for the evening.

“Sorry about that,” Marco quickly apologized. “Eren can be a bit much when he’s drunk… He doesn’t make much sense.”

Jean shrugged. “He’s a lot to handle sober. I don’t know how you can live with him and all those others. Seems like a lot to manage.”

Marco took a long sip as he thought about it, “Yeah but they’re great. We’re used to each other.”

“Fair enough, I suppose,” Jean said.

Deciding to finally engage his TA, Jean plopped down next to Marco. Leaving little room between them, he rubbed their shoulders as he leaned forward.

“Look, I want to say thank you for everything,” Jean began, lowering his voice as he let his defenses down. “You’ve taken the time tutor me, listened to my rants, and even looked over some of the pictures I’ve gotten.”

Marco stiffened as Jean brushed against him, even if the gesture was brief. Butterflies swirled in his belly as Jean quietly confessed his appreciation for him. Maybe it was the alcohol but a light blush crept onto his cheeks.

“Of course, it’s what friends do,” Marco gingerly smiled, taking a quick sip from his cider.

Jean nodded but frowned.

“You’re right, but… but…” Jean fumbled over his words, swallowing as he dared to face Marco. “Maybe I’m being selfish and maybe this is one sided and maybe I’m just being a shitty person and oh God I hate words. Fuck it.”

Before Marco could process the meaning behind Jean’s words, he felt a cold hand around one of his own and a pair of unsteady lips upon his. For a fleeting moment he leaned into the gesture and returned the kiss until his thoughts caught up with his instincts.

Marco pulled back and panic raced through his veins.

“Oh…” Marco quietly spoke.

Jean stared lovingly at Marco, a mixture of surprise and joy that his TA returned the feelings.

“God, you’re practically glowing,” Jean teased, not expecting all the color to drain from Marco’s face.

“Wait, what?” Marco jumped to his feet, staring all around him. He knocked his beer down the stairs with his flurried movements.

“It’s an expression!” Jean quickly stood up.

“Right. I knew that,” Marco confessed as he inhaled a deep breath. With his senses and fears back in his mind, he placed his hands on Jean’s shoulders and frowned. “I appreciate the gesture, but we can’t. I’m your TA, it’s unethical, and I know you can find someone much better.”

Before Jean even realized he was being rejected, a pained shout came from inside. Marco immediately ran for the door while Jean processed his words.

“Who in the what now?”

Inside, Marco saw Eren pressing his hands against his ears as he screamed in agony. He fell to his knees from the pain. Beer pooled around his ankles as an empty cup rolled away from him.

“Eren, what’s wrong?” Armin bent down, trying to comfort him.

“Can’t you hear it? It sound like its piercing my skull!” Eren continued to shouted, drawing the attention of everyone at the party.

Upon hearing those words Marco’s blood ran cold. He quickly pulled his phone out of his pocket and saw several missed calls from his roommates, but more importantly his signal was gone.

“The fuck is wrong with him?” Jean questioned, appearing next to Marco.

Marco shifted towards Jean, grabbing him by the shoulder.

“Get everyone and get out of here, now. Call Reiner or one of my housemates when you can get signal,” Marco answered, his voice stern.

“What’s going on?” Jean pressed his TA for more information but a guttural roar escaped Eren’s throat.

“No time, get out of here _now_!” Marco yelled. He ran over to Armin and pushed him back.

Eren’s shouting stopped, making Marco’s blood freeze. Eren’s head slowly turned, revealing his irises had gone from their deep green to a glowing gold. Most frightening thought were his pupils, now cat-like and sharp instead of round.

“What’s wrong with him, Marco?” Armin demanded to know.

“Eren?” Marco ignored his friend, instead cautiously reaching out for his roommate. Maybe it wasn’t too late. Before anyone could say anything, Marco felt an immense force punch him in his chest. He went flying backwards and through the kitchen wall outside, landing in a bush.

He shook off the immense impact as he heard muffled shouts from the house. There was no way in hell he could explain that to his friends. He did distinctly hear Jean react though.

“What the fuck, Jaeger?”

As Marco regained his bearings, he heard a callous laugh from behind him. He froze in place as a man stepped forward from the brush.

A bald man came forward, silhouetted by the setting sun. His brown trench coat did little to help his suspicious appearance. The sunken eyes, the deep bags below them, and the wrinkles that provided the only added to the man’s creepy façade.

“Amazing, isn’t he?” The man commented, rubbing a whistle on his neck. “Such power when you remove the self-restraint.”

“Why trigger him, Shadis?” Marco asked as he got back to his feet. “He’s surrounded by civilians!”

The creepy smile proved to Marco that this man, Keith Shadis, hadn’t changed since they last met.

“To remind you lot. You’re not people, you’re weapons, slaves. You can’t have friends or normal lives. Your sole purpose, your creation was predetermined to be war. Running away from us never changed that fact,” Shadis explained, leaning down towards Marco’s face. “You can never escape us.”

“How? How did you find us?” Marco demanded to know as another roar cut through the dusk.

“There’s a rather a dedicated hunter out here. Some boy who really wanted to find super powered individuals,” Shadis smiled, earning a face palm from Marco.

“Goddamnit, Jean,” Marco muttered.

“Correct. And now he and anyone who you dared to try and befriend will be eviscerated by SNK-05,” Shadis chuckled. “Quite fitting don’t you agree?”

Marco spat on Shadis’ boot, recovering his breath. “His name is Eren, and no he won’t.”

“Oh?” the man quirked an eye brow, amusement in his voice. “And why’s that?”

“We haven’t been sitting on our asses since we escaped you pricks,” Marco replied, turning his back on the man. As he took steps towards the house, his freckles started to twinkle.

“What are you going to challenge SNK-05? Please, you couldn’t even fight SNK-02 and he’s a passive fighter. Well he _was_ ,” Shadis grinned.

Marco paused and glared back at Shadis. “What did you do?”

“Just awakened his and everyone else’s latent abilities. We haven’t just been searching for you all these years. We’ve been preparing to test how you’ve grown. Well everyone except you, SNK-07. Fighting never suited you and your… lackluster abilities.”

“Because I never wanted to hurt anyone,” Marco frowned but continued towards the house as people escaped the building. He picked up the pace as he heard more crashes from inside the house.

When he returned, a couch flew through the front door. Marco ducked in time to see Jean on the floor and Armin backed against the wall.

“Eren, calm down!” Armin vainly called out, catching his attention.

Eren crept closer, the floor cracking as each step broke the timber.

Seeing Jean on the ground, Marco felt fear course through him but he didn’t let it hold him in place. Rather, he used it to fuel his adrenaline. His body glowed as he entered through the doorway.

“Eren!” Marco shouted, stopping Eren in his tracks. A low groan from Jean momentarily drew Marco’s eyes to the boy below him. “Oh thank God you’re alive.”

“Marco?” Jean squinted as he rubbed his eyes. “You’re glowing… holy shit you’re glowing!”

“Yeah, I do that,” Marco sighed. That cat was out of the bag now. He turned his gaze back to Eren who now crouched on the ground, getting ready to pounce. His feral eyes focused on the boy on the ground.

“What’s up with fuck face?” Jean groaned as he got onto his side.

Eren roared and leapt for Jean.

Acting on instinct, Marco slid to his knees as a blinding light erupted from his back. In a flash, a pair of golden, feathery, wings circled in front of Marco and Jean. Eren ran straight into the wings but bounced off them. He roared once more but a pair of golden shackles appeared around his wrists and ankles, leaving him struggling on the floor.

As the others in the room regained their vision, Jean blinked a few times until he saw Marco leaning over him, shirtless and with golden wings protruding from his back.

“Y-y-you’re a super…” Jean’s voice trembled, his senses soon returning to him. His head snapped in the direction of Eren who continued to fight against his shimmering bindings. “Then is he Wolverine wannabe?”

Marco’s serious expression faltered as he let out a brief smile. “Yes, that’s him.”

“So he even has a trigger scent. Cool,” Jean commented, causing Marco’s eyes to widen. He found that cool? He almost got eviscerated by Eren.

“Not a scent, but a sound,” a cold voice corrected. Shadis stepped through the door, his boots crunching splintered wood as he surveyed the damage. “His strength has grown more than we thought. Still nowhere near the original though.”

“Original?” Jean muttered as Marco’s wings faded.

Marco turned to face Shadis, still on edge.

With Marco’s back to him, Jean noticed the last thing he expected Marco to have: a full back tattoo. Emblazoned on his TA’s back were two wings crossing over each other, one blue and the other white.

“Yes. He’s an imperfect copy of weapon x, but still has enough potential that we can harness him,” Shadis evaluated. He turned his stone cold eyes on Marco next. “But SNK-07, you’re capable of constructs now. What’s more, they can withstand SNK-05’s raw power, impressive. I take back my previous assessment, you might be the most fruitful project we had. But I’ll need to assess that for myself.”

Before Shadis could take another step forward, shimmering spikes sprouted from the ground and flew towards the creepy man. Sharp spikes pointed at his neck, keeping him in place.

“If you so much as take another step I’ll skewer you like the pig you are,” Marco threatened, earning a hearty laugh from the man.

“Yes! Show me your true side, what you’re truly capable of!” Shadis grinned maniacally.

Marco gritted his teeth, his knuckles turning white as he felt temptation creeping up his spine. Before he could make any rash decisions, a hand grasped his forearm.

“Don’t, that’s not who you are. Ignore that old, shriveled testicle,” Jean stated, his voice calm.

Anger pulsed through Marco’s veins as he heard Eren snarl in the corner. With a shout he dispelled the constructs and fell to his knees.

“Pathetic,” Shadis sighed as the spikes sparked into dust around him. He took a step forward until he heard a set of distinct clicks.

“Not another step, Keith,” a low voice warned. “And put your hands where I can see them.”

Looking over his shoulder, Shadis saw two men in blue uniforms with guns pointed at him. Unlike cop uniforms, these blue ones lacked any badges or any real identifiable pieces of information.

“Agent Smith, Agent Ackerman, what an unexpected surprise,” Shadis greeted the two.

“An unpleasant one,” the tall blond agent replied, stepping forward. “Shouldn’t you be rotting in some grave back in Bogota?”

“Funny, I thought the same about you,” Shadis smiled. “But I have no quarrel with Shield. I’m simply reclaiming some lost property.”

“Fuck you, he’s not property!” Jean shouted at Shadis.

“If you’re referring to Tinkerbell and Wolverine Jr. over there then you’re mistaken. Their under Shield custody along with their other friends we found rampaging on the other side of town,” the shorter black haired agent informed the man.

“Well we’re at an impasse then,” Shadis frowned. He reached for his jacket, causing both agents to fire bullets at him. The two shots flew through Shadis and imbedded themselves in the wall behind him. Shadis cackled and pulled out a cigarette. “Gentlemen, did you really think I’d come there in person by myself? Do you take me for some C-level villain?”

The two agents exchanged looks before shrugging.

“Yeah, though C-level might be a bit generous,” Agent Smith disagreed.

“Maybe D-level, but to be honest you don’t really qualify as a villain,” Agent Ackermen continued, earning an annoyed look from Shadis.

“Lovely. Well I must be off so I can plan to retrieve these specimens. Until next time.”

Shadis faded from the room, allowing Marco and the agents to relax.

A low snarl reminded Marco of his other problem.

“Shit, Eren!” Marco reacted until he saw Armin next to his feral friend.

“Shh, it’s okay,” Armin whispered as he ran his hands through Eren’s hair. He quietly hummed a tune.

“That won’t wo-,” Marco tried to warn Armin, but he noticed Eren’s ferocity start to fade.

For a few moments Armin continued to hum, occasionally whispering something into Eren’s ear. The men in the room watched as Eren quieted down until he started whimpering. Eventually he closed his eyes and fell into a slumber. Once Eren was out, Marco released his shackles.

“How did you do that?” Marco wondered.

“He said a sharp sound triggered it so I figured he’s most sensitive to sound. The right tune soothed him,” Armin explained as he continued to run his fingers through Eren’s hair.

“What did you sing?” Agent Smith followed up, pocketing his gun.

Armin shook his head as he chuckled before he even said the answer, “Remember Who You Are. Disney.”

\---

“Tell me if you’ve heard this story before. A group of kids, orphaned or otherwise unwanted, are taken in by some rogue group to be experimented on and turned into weapons. Their genes are spliced with some of the greatest heroes on Earth and are raised to know nothing but violence. Over time one of the many heartless scientists grows a conscience and schemes to help the kids escape,” Marco shakes his head as he reminisces, staring at the steel table between him and the agents that found him. A one way mirror into the interrogation room did little to settle Marco’s nerves, reminding him of a past he had long since buried.

“And how long were you in hiding?” Agent Smith questioned.

Marco shrugged, taking a sip from a mug of water.

“Years. We don’t know. Dr. Jaeger didn’t give us too much information but provided for us and taught us until he sent us off to college so we could try and live a normal life.”

“You mentioned gene splicing,” Agent Ackerman interrupted, placing a notepad on the table. “Do you know which heroes they used?”

“Wolverine for a few of us, Groot for one, unknown for others,” Marco explained. “They were interested in weapons.”

“They used a fucking tree?” Agent Ackerman quirked an eyebrow.

“Superb defense and regeneration,” Marco elaborated.

“What about you? I don’t think I’m familiar with too many photo-kinetic individuals,” Agent Smith inquired.

Marco chuckled a bit at the thought. “Because there aren’t any that I got my powers from. I was a happy accident. A mutant spliced with Wolverine’s healing factor. My powers didn’t develop until one day I accidentally blinded one of my handlers. They tried to weaponize me but that didn’t exactly work.”

“And how did you know you were based off Wolverine’s DNA?”

“They told us. The process was guess work at best. They gave us the genes and hoped something would show for it. Most of us developed healing factors, Eren developed extra strength and was honed due to that. Give him any weapon and he’ll defeat most people.”

“Interesting,” Agent Ackerman noted on his paper. “We have many more questions for you but you probably need a break. It’s been a long night.”

Marco’s eyes lit up at those words. “What about my friends. My family…”

Agent Smith smiled as he set his papers down. “They’re all fine and recovering. They were apprehended without injury courtesy of some brave agents. They’re resting in the medical bay.”

“What about us? Where will we go?” Marco frowned, thinking about how their lives had fallen apart overnight.

“Well I presume you’ll want to finish college,” Agent Smith shrugged. “You all have another year at Jinae University if I read correctly. You’ll return to your lives as normal.”

“Really?” Marco’s said, his voice full of hope.

Agent Ackerman nodded. “Yes, under a few conditions.”

Marco’s face fell at those words. Of course there were conditions.

“You’re now under Shield’s protective custody. To ensure the safety of the public as well as your own, you’ll be trained here several times a week by one of our best instructors to help overcome your weaknesses and prevent this from happening again. The next time Shadis and his cronies come, you’ll be prepared in case we aren’t there. Is that understood?”

“Y-yes, sir!” Marco’s voice trembled as he replied.

“Please, call me Erwin. And this is Levi,” Agent Smith gestured to himself and his smaller colleague.

“Yes, sir. I mean Erwin, sir,” Marco nodded furiously, still in disbelief.

“Now scram. Your friend is probably passed out on a chair somewhere in the Helicarrier,” Levi pointed to the door.

Without another word, Marco jumped to his feet and raced to the door. He froze when he saw Jean standing by a one way mirror that faced into Marco’s interrogation chamber. Next to him stood an older, female agent.

“Part Wolverine _and_ mutant?!” Jean asked, slack-jawed by the thought.

“Oh, you heard all of that,” Marco frowned. Not that there was any use in hiding it from Jean, especially after he saw his powers on full display. “I understand if you want to never see me or us again.”

That comment sapped Jean’s amazement, causing his face to drop. The lady next to him furrowed her brow.

“Not want to see you again? As if,” Jean blew the idea off, swatting at the air in front of him. “It just means you’re twice as kick ass and awesome. It certainly explains a lot about you.”

Jean reply stunned Marco. Hope sprouted in his heart as Jean gushed about him. “You mean you’re not scared?”

“Hell no,” Jean reaffirmed his words.

“Wait, is this the boy?” the older Shield agent pointed at Marco. Her expression softened immediately when she noticed Jean start to blush. She walked over to Marco and looked him over. “Marco was it? If anything I think you stole my Jeanbo’s heart even more.”

“Mom!” Jean groaned as she messed up his hair with hand.

“Jeanbo? Mom?” Marco echoed back until the other words registered with him. “Hold on, you still like me? Like _like_ me?”

Jean opened his mouth a few times, but no words escaped him. It took an elbow jab from his mom for Jean to walk forward while blushing furiously. “Y-yeah. Is that why you acted the way you did on the porch?”

Staring at his feet, Marco kicked at the air like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “Yes.”

“Well, I’ll leave you boys to sort this out,” Mrs. Kirschtein said as she turned to leave. “However, as your mother Jean I will find out about this later.”

“Yes, mother,” Jean sighed, rolling his eyes.

“Also dinner will be on the bridge in an hour. I expect you both to be there. And-”

“Mom! Can I please talk to Marco in peace?” Jean snapped back, earning a click of the tongue.

“It’s not polite to talk to your mother that way,” she chided him but carried on down the hall.

Once she left, Jean shook his head and pointed in the opposite direction of where she walked. Taking the lead, Jean shoved his hands in his pockets as he tried to organize his thoughts. He had so much that he want to ask and know.

“Sorry about her. She’s a bit much,” Jean apologized but Marco shook his head.

“It’s nice. You’re lucky to have her. ‘Much’ is more than anything I ever had,” Marco’s eyes fell to the steel floor. Every step they took echoed with a hollow, metal pang.

“I should apologize. I had no idea you went through so much,” Jean frowned at the information he recalled. “I shouldn’t have eavesdropped on all of that.”

“No, it’s fine. Better you know the truth now after what happened. Sorry about your house.”

Marco mindlessly followed Jean as he took him down the various corridors, passing other agents. None of the others in the hallway ever acknowledged them, putting Marco at ease.

“Eh, it’s fine. We had renter’s insurance,” Jean shrugged. “Did you ever know your mom? If that’s not too personal.”

Marco chuckled at the notion. “Nothing is too personal at this point. No, I never met my mother nor did the others. The only one who knew their parent was Eren, or at least that’s our guess. We don’t know why Dr. Jaeger freed us but he was especially close to Eren.”

“Then why all the different last names?”

The two boys reached a locked door, causing them to stop in their tracks. Jean looked both ways down the hall before punching in a code on a keypad by the door. The door opened, much to Marco’s shock.

“We received them when we escaped. Dr. Jaeger said they were our family names but he never told us how he found out. It’s the only thing I’ll ever have from my real family.”

Jean walked into an open area with Marco only a few feet behind him. The room ahead was bigger than any indoor space Marco had ever seen, filled with various equipment and vehicles. Bright lights illuminated the otherwise dark area, yet Jean continued in a beeline towards the back end of the room.

“I see. What happened to Dr. Jaeger? I’ve never heard Eren mention his family, let alone his dad.”

Marco shrugged. “We don’t know. He sent us off to college and when we tried to reach him his number was disconnected. He vanished into thin air, none of us could track him. We just took it as a sign that he moved on. Well, everyone except Eren.”

“I know the feeling,” Jean mumbled, stopping for a moment to clench his fists. He forced himself from his thoughts and moved toward a pile of crates. He jumped on one and climbed to the top of the pile. “Come on up!”

With a tiny smile, Marco jumped to the top of the pile in a single bound, astonishing his friend.

“I got some enhanced strength too, not that Shadis or those assholes ever knew. I refused to engage in any of their activities despite their… methods.”

Jean sat down on the rough wood, patting a spot next to him. “You always seemed so passive. Is that why I never saw you when I looked for supers? I’m pretty sure I’ve caught all your roommates at some point on camera.”

That question had Marco snorting gracelessly. “You never caught me because I’d be caught in two seconds flat. I’d stick out like a beacon in the night. Literally.”

“Touché,” Jean agreed, chuckling at Marco’s joke. Swallowing a lump in his throat, he dared to reach out again and clutch Marco’s hand.

To his credit, Marco didn’t immediately retract from Jean’s touch, though he did move back for a moment. When he expected Jean to retreat from him or question his reactions, Marco found that Jean remained still and patiently waited.

“I’m sorry, I’m not used to being touched like this,” Marco replied, his voice cracking a bit.

“Maybe it’s something I can help with,” Jean offered, leaning a little closer to Marco. “If you’d want that.”

Marco bit his bottom lip, trying to process the idea. Being close with someone outside his makeshift family, someone who wanted to be more than friends. While his inner demons screamed at him to reject the very thought, his instincts told him otherwise. He closed his hand around Jean’s and Marco mustered a tentative smile.

“I can try. I’ve never had anyone like me before,” Marco’s smile faded as his thoughts traveled back into his past. Shadis’ words, the threats, and the very idea that his torment was due to his parents not wanting him. “No one has ever wanted me.”

Jean’s face fell at those words. Without hesitation, he closed the distance between him and Marco, embracing his friend.

The sudden action caught Marco off guard, but he slowly melted into the hug. He still felt like he was walking on eggshells but it was impossible not to relax in Jean’s arms.

“I want you,” Jean whispered into Marco’s ear. “I’ve wanted you for so long and nothing has changed that or will change that.”

With that last reassurance, Marco’s façade crumbled. Tears started streaming down the side of his face as a few sobs escaped him. Words he never thought he would hear shook him to his foundations.

“Jean…” Marco sobbed, nuzzling Jean’s shoulder.

“Just let it all out. You’re safe here,” Jean quietly spoke back, patting his friend on the back. As he held Marco close, he noticed Marco’s skin start to shimmer. “Uh, Marco? You’re glowing. Like a night light.”

“Aw shit,” Marco grumbled, taking a loud sniff. He pulled back from Jean and looked over himself. “This happens when I can’t control my emotions. Fuck.”

“If it helps, you still look radiant,” Jean teased, earning a groan from Marco. “But I’m glad I can see you, all of you.”

“Even after all of this, all that baggage I unloaded on you, and the fact my brother tore up your house, you _still_ want to date me?” Marco wondered, his voice wavering as he said it.

Jean gave Marco a dull stare.

“How many times do I have to say it? Yes, a thousand times yes!”

Exhaling a deep breath, Marco focused himself. His glowing started to fade all over his body, except for his hand. He closed his eyes and grunted a bit as the bright light in his hands slowly took form. In a brief but blinding flash, a golden rose shimmered in Marco’s hand.

After Jean blinked away the spots, he noticed Marco slipping the golden flower into his grasp. He turned it over as he took in all the details, from the prickly thorns to the white veins on the shimmering petals.

“This is beautiful,” Jean commented. Rather than hold onto it, he set it down on his lap in favor of leaning towards Marco.

Understanding Jean’s goal, Marco met him halfway and brought his lips to Jean’s. Unlike before there was no hesitation from either party. It was a simple kiss, neither pressing for anything more than a peck. While both yearned for more, wanting to explore each other in ways they only fantasized about, their courage had reached its limit. And before either could attempt to deepen the kiss, a loud voice boomed from Jean’s ass.

“Jeanbo! What part of be at dinner in an hour sharp didn’t you or Marco understand? Get over here now!” Mrs. Kirschtein’s voice ordered.

Jean almost fell off the pile of crates, if not for Marco suddenly grabbing him like his life depended on it. The angel wings from before sprouted from Marco’s back and encircled the two, tearing Marco’s shirt off once more.

Jean scrambled to grab a cell phone looking device from his pocket. He quickly pressed a button and shouted back, “Yes mom, we’re on our way!”

After taking a few deeps breaths Marco’s wings faded.

“What was that?” He asked, his freckles still glowing.

“A Shield communication device. Mom got it for me so we could talk without having to pay for a cellphone. Doubles as a tracker. That’s how the agents knew to find us that night. Comes with a panic button,” Jean explained as he pointed out the various buttons on the device. “Downside is that my mom can shout into it to talk to me without giving me any notification.”

Climbing down the crate, Jean carefully made sure to not lose his footing while Marco simply leapt down. Jean took another look at Marco’s back, observing the giant tattoo of the wings again. Rather than push his luck, he decided to leave that as a question for another day. Once he reached the bottom, he quickly extended a hand to Marco.

Marco stared at the hand, a bit puzzled. “What?”

Jean’s shoulders fell for a moment.

“Ever heard of holding hands? The cafeteria is a bit of a hike,” Jean pushed his hand closer to Marco, who slowly reached out for it. “Come on, I think I can take you by the weapons bay on the way there. They got some cool shit.”

Marco chuckled as they started walking out of the room, “Whatever you say, Jeanbo.”

Jean balked at that name. “Please don’t tell anyone that or call me that. My mom is the only one who can and it’s really embarrassing.”

Marco shrugged, “Only if you visit me later.”

“Duh, that’s part of the whole dating thing. God, I have a lot to teach you, don’t I?” Jean complained, his voice betraying his joy at the thought of it.

“Yes, I have a lot to learn.”

\---

“Welcome to training, cadets,” Marco’s new training instructor announced.

Marco, Eren, Reiner, Bertl, Annie, and Ymir stood in a line wearing black versions of the Shield uniform. None of them said anything, instead gawking at the man marching in front of them.

“Now I’ve heard your story and I must say you’re blessed to be here. It’s my job to help train you to be better than what Keith Shadis and his associates planned for you. I’m going to help hone your skills, temper your abilities, and teach you a thing or two about fighting,” the blond man continued as he walked back and forth in front of the young group. He wore the standard Shield uniform except for the giant round shield on his back, an iconic red, white, and blue shield. “From this day forward I’m your teacher. Do any of you have any problems with that?”

“No, sir,” Marco spoke for the group.

The blond man paused and stared at Marco. He studied him for a moment before speaking, “Marco was it? The others tell me you’re the leader of this rag tag group.”

“I… I am, sir,” Marco stuttered.

“Please, just call me Steve or Captain Rogers,” Steve Rogers smiled. “Part of your training regimen will include some real life missions, to prepare you for the worst the world has to offer. As a result we’re our own little special group in Shield. And just like every special group we have received our own unique name.”

“Is it the Young Avengers?” Eren spoke up.

Captain America pointed at Eren and replied, “No but I do like that. From this day forward you’ll be known as the Titans.”

“Ooh does that mean we get our own catchphrase?” Ymir chimed in, her face lighting up at the thought.

Their instructor shrugged.

“Sure, I don’t see why not.”

“Titans, assemble!” Ymir shouted, but no one said anything in response. After a few seconds of silence she dropped her arms. “Yeah, that doesn’t have the same ring to it.”

“We’ll workshop it. For now, Titans, let’s train.”

**Author's Note:**

> When I saw this prompt I snorted, but the more I thought about the more I loved the idea of fusing two of my favorite interests together. I'm an unabashed comic nerd on top of avid manga reader so this was a great opportunity that I intend to return to. Thank you for such a fun idea kaa05n2, I hope you truly enjoyed reading this as it was a blast to write. And with your blessing I'd like to keep adding to it because there's a lot I left open ended like the tattoo, the true extent of Marco's powers, the others' powers, and of course, what the hell happened to Dr. Jaeger.
> 
> For everyone else, thank you for reading this little fun adventure. Please check out kaa's amazing art [here](http://kaa-05n2.tumblr.com) and my scribbling's and shit posting [here](http://firegrilled.tumblr.com).
> 
> As always, comments are always appreciated and read. Happy holidays and stay tuned for more from this fun universe!


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